PM says welfare vote will go ahead despite threat of Labour rebellion

Sir Keir Starmer has said a ballot connected payment reforms volition spell up adjacent week contempt an unprecedented fig of Labour MPs expected to rebel.

Taking questions from journalists pursuing a code astatine the NATO summit, the premier curate was asked by Sky News' governmental exertion Beth Rigby however helium tin govern the state if helium cannot govern his party.

Politics Live: PM insists helium tin 'read the room' contempt increasing rebellion

He replied: "On the question of payment reform, we're committed to reforming our payment system. It doesn't work. It traps people. And it has to beryllium reformed.

"And it besides has to guarantee we've got a payment strategy that is acceptable for the future. That is wherefore determination volition beryllium a ballot and we volition property up with the reforms."

Responding to different questions, helium went connected to importune determination was a "pretty agreed front" among Labour MPs that the UK's payment strategy needs reform.

"You won't find galore Labour MPs who are not accepting that we request reform, we are perfectly connected the leafage with them," helium said.

Speaking aboriginal to the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, equipped forces curate Luke Pollard said talks were ongoing with rebels astir imaginable concessions.

He said it was "entirely reasonable" for ministers, including successful the Department for Work and Pensions, "to prosecute successful constructive dialog with those folks".

Back astatine NATO, the premier curate besides said helium was "very confident" helium volition pb the Labour Party into the adjacent election, saying "it is truly important that I pb from the beforehand and instrumentality the semipermanent decisions astir the aboriginal of our country".

More than 100 Labour MPs person enactment their names to a "reasoned amendment" that could halt the government's payment measure successful its tracks.

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The plans restrict eligibility for idiosyncratic independency outgo (pip), the main disablement outgo successful England, and bounds the sickness-related constituent of cosmopolitan credit, successful a bid to shave £5bn disconnected the payment measure by 2030.

Ministers accidental the reforms volition assistance get radical into work, but galore MPs are disquieted it volition propulsion disabled radical into poverty.

Existing claimants volition beryllium fixed a 13-week phase-out play of fiscal support, a determination seen arsenic a bid to caput disconnected opposition.

However, the rebels reason disabled radical person not been decently consulted astir the program and accidental further investigation is required earlier making immoderate changes.